Soundtrack and strife: How Kass writes 1969 anew
From Pete Seeger’s protest songs to classroom debate, the author reveals how she makes historical fiction feel vivid.
In this excerpt of Kass’ new book of historical fiction (publishing September 2026), the first-person narrator, Lena, ruminates on the history being made all around her during the political unrest of 1969.
1. “In high school, I took a class similar to Current History that used national news magazines as texts so we could discuss what was happening in the country and the world. I knew my first-person narrator, Lena, needed to be in a class like that, so her perspective could serve as a window for the reader into the rebellion, social change and cultural innovations unfolding at the time.”
2. “I think it was helpful that I didn’t clearly recall specific events of the Vietnam era, like the March Against Death. That haziness allowed me to inhabit these fictional teenage characters and imagine their reactions. To ground myself in the historical context, I read books like 1969 by Rob Kirkpatrick, The Long Sixties: From 1960 to Barack Obama by Tom Hayden, and The Shattering: America in the 1960s by Kevin Boyle—each bringing the news and details of that era back into focus.”
3. “Music has always been a focal point for me, so it felt essential that the soundtrack of the era permeate this story. Discovering the scene of Pete Seeger standing across from the White House, leading a crowd in song, gave me chills. In reimagining this consequential historical period, I knew I would weave in moments like this—grounded in fact—to make the story feel authentic and alive.”
